Editorial: Great Nurses find many ways to give back

Run down the list of this year’s “100 Great Nurses of North Carolina” and you’ll find eight on staff at CaroMont Regional Medical Center.

That’s an impressive number – but even more impressive are the things that make these Gaston nurses such standouts in their profession.

Any one of the eight could be a role model not only for nurses, but also for anyone, especially young people considering a career or just starting out in life

Consider these shared characteristics:

- A life-long pursuit of education. These Great Nurses did not stop learning when they added RN to their names. They have earned additional degrees and specialty certifications, continuously soaking up knowledge to deliver better care to their patients.

- Mentoring. It is not unusual to find these nurses helping the next generation of health care professionals by sharing their hands-on experiences. That’s invaluable to those coming along the career ladder.

- Professional involvement. The nurses give back through professional organizations, both nationally and locally, as a means of advancing nursing and nurses in a variety of ways.

- Community involvement. Giving back doesn’t stop within the nursing circle. For these women, it extends to their churches, Scouts, schools and any number of hometown initiatives and organizations that make for a better community.

Colleagues describe this year’s Great Nurses as strong leaders with the highest ethical standards and, not unexpectedly, a passion for caring for their patients.

Melanie Cash, Kim Kirkland, Angela King, Julie Cloninger, Cathy Maynor, Susan Philbeck, Lesley Sellers and Priscilla Moyer – CaroMont’s Great Eight for 2013 – join 67 other CaroMont nurses who have been selected as the best in North Carolina since the program began in 1988.

All bring distinction to their profession, their health care organization, their families, their communities and especially to themselves.

We congratulate this year’s Great Nurses on the recognition they have received and thank them for the service they have given and continue to give our community.